Lucy’s HotSock Tricks – Lucy Neatby

Maximum participants: 22

A wide ranging selection of Lucy’s most trusted sock tips and tricks, including Modified Conventional Bind-Off (which may revolutionize your life), the toe-chimney grafting method, slipping stitches fast and easy, running yarn markers and wonderful hole-curing sutures. Getting to know the Australian Cousins, play with new-to-you needle configurations, Alternative heel stitch, Holes and more besides.

Materials needed:

• A small ball of smooth wool-blend yarn (these need not be ‘sock’ yarns) approximately Worsted (5 sts per inch or fewer) in two plain, light contrasting colours. We will be working samples not a sock. Fine sock yarns and needles may be used, but is far easier to see the details of your stitches and techniques in larger yarns and solid, light colours.
• 3 sets of needles all the same size (as used for your swatch): dpns and two circulars (one of which should be 100 cm/ 40” or longer).
• Scissors and crochet hook
• Blunt darning needles and usual knitting tools.

Homework:

This swatch is worth the investment of your time and effort! It may be used over and over again and will serve you well if you take the time to find appropriate yarns.

Choose a medium to light coloured, smooth (not fluffy or textured) worsted or chunky weight wool- rich yarn (approximately 5 sts/in or fewer) and 5+ mm (US # 6+) needles.

Using a set of DPN’s, or circular(s), cast on 40 sts and knit 6 rounds. Arrange the stitches for a sock toe: 10 sts on each needle. (Or as you would wish!)

Rnd 2: (K1, ssk, k 14, k2t, k1) x 2.

Rnd 3: Knit.

Rnd 4: (K1, ssk, k 12, k2t, k1) x 2.

Continue to work decrease rounds as set, every round until 24 sts remain. Break off main yarn with a 6” tail. Leave the stitches live or on the needles.

Please bring about 3 yds/m of a contrasting, similar weight solid coloured yarn to class.

Ssk: Slip the next two sts, knitwise, one at a time, to the right-hand needle, insert the left-hand needle into both sts and knit them together. This produces a one-stitch, left-slanting decrease known as a ‘Slip, slip, knit’.

K2t: Knit two stitches together. This produces a one-stitch, right-slanting decrease.

Skill Level:

Intermediate

Tickets are non-refundable except in limited circumstances as described in the Purchase Policy.

Lucy Neatby

Lucy Neatby is an internationally recognized teacher, designer, and writer who thrills knitters around the world with her inimitable charm, knowledge, and uniquely colourful designs. Her passion for nurturing and empowering knitters, and putting them in control of their art, is legendary! She is the author three books: Cool Socks Warm Feet, Cool Knitters Finish in Style, A Little Book of BIG Holes for Hand-knitters! and the Learn with Lucy DVD series (16 titles).